Written Answers Monday 21 July 2008

Scottish Executive

Central Heating

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that people who no longer qualify for a free central heating system as a result of the new eligibility criteria announced on 22 May 2008 will be able to apply for a free central heating system.

Stewart Maxwell: All householders who were eligible for the central heating programme before the Cabinet Secretary’s announcement of 22 May remain eligible under the regulations. Amongst new applicants, however, priority for the remainder of 2008-09 is being given to those without a central heating system and those with a broken system who are either on the guaranteed element of Pension Credit or over 80.

Education

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what qualifications exist for people who wish to develop a range of non-violent options for dealing with common scenarios involving physical contact in society and the workplace.

Fiona Hyslop: There are a number of national occupational standards in this area and these standards have been used in a variety of vocational qualifications accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority. For example the unit "Protect Yourself from the Risk of Violence at Work" has been included within the following Scottish Vocational Qualifications:

  Health and Social Care (level 2)

  Health (Maternity/Paediatric Support) (level 3)

  Health (Allied Profession Support) (level 3)

  Health (Renal Support) (level 3).

  There are also SVQ units relating to conflict, e.g. Assist in the Management of Conflict, which is included in three SVQs and there are units relating to conflict which appear in the Security Guarding qualifications. All these units can be taken individually and certified.

  A range of other awarding bodies may also include similar units or modules within their portfolios. We do not hold this information centrally.

Education

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce qualifications for people who wish to develop a range of non-violent options for dealing with common scenarios involving physical contact in society and the workplace.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has no locus in qualifications development. Individual schools, local authorities, colleges and higher education institutions are responsible for the management and delivery of a curriculum that responds to the needs of their students and local circumstances. This includes deciding which qualifications they will offer to individuals.

  The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) plays a key role in developing qualifications (other than degrees) in Scotland. This is done in partnership with a wide range of partners including learning providers and employers. SQA investigates and responds to stakeholder demand for qualifications to ensure that the qualifications provided remain relevant to Scotland’s changing social, cultural and economic needs.

Education

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if a qualification were developed for people who wish to develop a range of non-violent options for dealing with common scenarios involving physical contact in society and in the workplace, it would consider a pilot to promote such a qualification to schools and colleges and, if so, how such a pilot would be funded.

Fiona Hyslop: Individual schools, local authorities, colleges and higher education institutions are responsible for the management and delivery of a curriculum that responds to the needs of their students and local circumstances. This includes deciding which qualifications they will offer to individuals.

  Individual schools, local authorities, colleges and higher education institutions can use their allocated funding to provide such a qualification if there was a demand.

Education

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase and improve vocational training within the food and drink sector.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government’s Skills Strategy – Skills for Scotland – outlined the importance of employers in ensuring that the education, training and qualifications systems in Scotland were responsive to their needs. The strategy also states that a sectoral approach to more effective employer engagement is the right one.

  Skills Development Scotland, recently established as one of the key deliverers of the skills strategy, is liaising with Improve and Lantra, the Sector Skills Councils which cover the food and drink industry, with a view to ensuring that the training opportunities available meet the needs of the sector. The Scottish Government continues, through SQA, to invest in curriculum modernisation at NQ and HN levels to ensure that the vocational training offer remains modern, flexible and responsive to the needs of industry and of learners.

Efficient Government

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the level is of monies it retained through efficiency savings achieved by North Lanarkshire Council for the years (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06, (d) 2006-07 and (e) 2007-08.

John Swinney: The Scottish Executive’s first Efficient Government programme covered the period 2005-06 to 2007-08. Within the total efficiency savings set for local government over this period, amounts totalling £73.1 million in 2005-06, £141.6 million in 2006-07 and £197.3 million in 2007-08 were deducted at source. It is not possible to say what level of monies was retained for North Lanarkshire Council because the savings deducted at source were never allocated to individual local authorities.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when Health Protection Scotland met the Health Protection Agency to discuss guidance on clostridium difficile.

Nicola Sturgeon: Health Protection Scotland (HPS) has not formally met with the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to discuss their new draft guidance on clostridium difficile, although I am advised that a member of HPS attended a conference hosted by the Health Protection Agency on 14 February at which the draft guidance was discussed.

  Scottish guidance on surveillance of clostridium difficile associated disease (CDAD) has been available since the start of the mandatory CDAD surveillance programme in September 2006 and this was updated in October 2007. New guidance on CDAD in Scotland is being prepared by HPS and will be discussed at the next HAI Task Force meeting in September.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive why guidance on clostridium difficile has not been issued by NHS Scotland or Health Protection Scotland, given that guidelines on surveillance systems were issued in April 2007 and updated in January 2008 by the Department of Health of the UK Government.

Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish guidance on surveillance of clostridium difficile associated disease (CDAD) has been available since the start of the mandatory CDAD surveillance programme in September 2006 and this was updated in October 2007.

  A range of CDAD documents have been produced by Health Protection Scotland for NHS boards. These include the Standard Infection Control Precautions model policies which have been available since September 2006 (with supporting education materials for hand hygiene and personal protective equipment also available), transmission-based precautions model policies (including contact precautions policy with clostridium difficile specific hand hygiene and cleaning guidance) which was launched April 2008, the CDAD care bundle which was launched in March 2008 and a checklist for preventing and controlling CDAD was circulated for comment on 19 June to all Infection Control Managers.

  Health Protection Scotland is drafting new overarching national guidance to account for the above publications and the Scottish Government’s HAI Task Force has been advised that a final draft will be provided to them in September 2008.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which wards at the Vale of Leven Hospital have been affected by the outbreak of clostridium difficile.

Nicola Sturgeon: I am advised by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde that the look-back exercise for the period 1 December 2007 to 1 June 2008 confirmed that patients in wards 3, 4, 6, 14, 15 and F of the Vale of Leven Hospital were treated for clostridium difficile.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in how many deaths (a) clostridium difficile and (b) MRSA was recorded as a contributory factor in each year since 1999, broken down by hospital and expressed also as a proportion of all deaths.

Nicola Sturgeon: The data in the following tables were provided by the General Register Office of Scotland (GROS). The figures should be noted with caution. Recording of MRSA and clostridium difficile infections on death certificates is based on the clinical judgement of each doctor. Changes in the number of cases year-on-year may therefore be influenced by increased public and professional awareness of these infections and may not be a reliable indicator of the true incidence.

  It should also be noted that before 2000 it was not possible to say whether Clostridium difficile was a contributory factor in the deaths. It is only possible to provide information where Clostridium difficile was mentioned in the death certificate. A separate table has therefore been provided for 1999.

  Table 1: Deaths where Clostridium Difficile was a Contributory Factor in Deaths in Scotland Between 2000 and 2006

  

 
 Year


 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006


 Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
 2
 -
 4
 2
 -
 4
 4


 Annan Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Arbroath Infirmary
 -
 -
 -
 -
 2
 1
 2


 Ashludie Hospital
 -
 2
 -
 -
 2
 1
 2


 Astley Ainslie Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 1
 2
 3
 1


 Ayr Hospital
 4
 2
 -
 -
 -
 2
 3


 Ayrshire Central Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 2


 Balfour Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Bannockburn Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Belford Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Belhaven Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Biggart Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 2
 1
 -
 1


 Bonnybridge Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Borders General Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 4
 4


 Camerone Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Chalmers Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Coathill Hospital
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 2


 Community Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Corstorphine Hospital
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Cottage Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 2
 -


 Crosshouse Hospital
 6
 9
 5
 7
 5
 6
 7


 Dalrymple Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Doctor Gray’s Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 1
 -
 1
 -


 Drumchapel Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Dumfries/Galloway Royal Infirmary
 -
 5
 -
 1
 2
 9
 3


 Dunoon General Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Edington Cottage Hospital
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Ellen’s Glen House
 1
 -
 1
 1
 -
 1
 1


 Falkirk & District Royal Infirmary
 -
 3
 3
 4
 3
 1
 5


 Fraserburgh Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Gartnavel General Hospital
 4
 4
 2
 -
 2
 3
 11


 Glasgow Royal Infirmary
 5
 3
 2
 4
 10
 9
 9


 Glenrothes Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Hairmyres Hospital
 2
 1
 2
 2
 5
 11
 12


 Holmhead Hospital
 -
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Inverclyde Royal Hospital
 -
 1
 1
 1
 2
 3
 1


 Inverurie Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Irvine Memorial Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1


 Kello Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Kildean Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Kirkcudbright Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Kirklandside Hospital
 1
 -
 -
 2
 -
 1
 1


 Lady Home Cottage Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Leanchoil Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Liberton Hospital
 4
 4
 1
 10
 8
 12
 6


 Lightburn Hospital
 2
 2
 2
 2
 4
 4
 3


 Loanhead Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Lynebank Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1
 2


 Memorial Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Monklands General Hospital
 3
 2
 -
 2
 3
 2
 9


 Montrose Royal Infirmary
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 New Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
 -
 -
 -
 4
 3
 9
 14


 Newton Stewart Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Ninewells Hospital
 1
 1
 3
 4
 6
 5
 8


 Perth Royal Infirmary
 -
 3
 2
 -
 1
 5
 5


 Queen Margaret Hospital
 3
 3
 5
 8
 7
 7
 17


 Raigmore Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 1
 1
 2
 1


 Roadmeetings Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Roodlands General Hospital
 1
 2
 -
 1
 -
 1
 4


 Rosslynlee Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Rothesay Victoria Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Roxburghe House
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Royal Alexandra Hospital
 1
 3
 5
 4
 7
 10
 9


 Royal Edinburgh Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
 7
 5
 7
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Royal Victoria Hospital, Edinburgh
 4
 5
 5
 2
 1
 14
 7


 Royal Victoria Hospital, Dundee
 -
 2
 1
 2
 1
 -
 3


 Sauchie Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Southern General Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 5
 3
 3
 4


 St John’s Hospital
 -
 1
 1
 1
 1
 4
 2


 St Michael’s Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Stirling Royal Infirmary
 1
 3
 1
 5
 2
 5
 7


 Stobhill Hospital
 2
 8
 6
 3
 3
 8
 9


 Stonehouse Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Stracathro Hospital
 1
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Strathclyde Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Udston Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1


 Uist And Barra Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Vale of Leven Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1
 1
 1


 Victoria Hospital
 1
 -
 3
 4
 2
 1
 7


 Victoria Infirmary, Helensburgh
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow
 7
 1
 5
 1
 4
 3
 9


 Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, Geriatric Unit
 2
 1
 1
 1
 5
 3
 10


 Wester Moffat Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1
 -
 -


 Western General Hospital
 1
 5
 2
 7
 7
 10
 10


 Western Infirmary
 1
 6
 -
 3
 3
 7
 1


 Western Infirmary, Beatson Oncology Centre
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1
 1
 3


 Whyteman’s Brae Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Wishaw General Hospital
 -
 1
 10
 3
 4
 4
 5


 Woodend Hospital
 2
 -
 2
 1
 2
 1
 3


 Law Hospital
 1
 4
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Findlay House
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Roxburghe House
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Hospital Total
 73
 106
 88
 110
 129
 194
 240


 Non-hospital
 5
 7
 6
 5
 12
 17
 13


 Total
 78
 113
 94
 115
 141
 211
 253


 Proportion of all deaths
 0.1%
 0.2%
 0.2%
 0.2%
 0.3%
 0.4%
 0.5%



  Table 2: Deaths that Mention Clostridium Difficile in the Death Certificate in Scotland in 1999

  

 Hospital
 Number of Deaths


 Airbles Road Hospital
 1


 Ayr Hospital
 1


 Ayrshire Central Hospital
 1


 Bannockburn Hospital
 1


 Blawarthill Hospital
 1


 Borders General Hospital
 2


 Camerone Hospital
 1


 Crosshouse Hospital
 6


 Dumfries/Galloway Royal Infirmary
 2


 Falkirk & District Royal Infirmary
 7


 Gartnavel General Hospital
 1


 Glasgow Royal Infirmary
 8


 Hairmyres Hospital
 2


 Inverclyde Royal Hospital
 2


 Liberton Hospital
 1


 Lightburn Hospital
 5


 Ninewells Hospital
 2


 Portree Hospital
 1


 Queen Margaret Hospital
 3


 Roodlands General Hospital
 1


 Royal Alexandra Hospital
 1


 Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
 4


 Royal Victoria Hospital
 1


 Sauchie Hospital
 1


 Southern General Hospital
 1


 St John’s Hospital
 2


 Stirling Royal Infirmary
 5


 Stobhill Hospital
 6


 Stracathro Hospital
 1


 Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow
 2


 Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, Geriatric Unit
 1


 Western General Hospital
 1


 Cowglen Hospital
 1


 Law Hospital
 5


 Hospital total
 81


 Non-hospital
 5


 Total
 86


 Proportion of all deaths
 0.1%



  Table 3: Deaths where MRSA was a Contributory Factor in Deaths in Scotland Between 2000 and 2006

  

 Hospital
 Year


 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006


 Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
 4
 4
 3
 5
 3
 6
 4
 5


 Arbroath Infirmary
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1


 Ashludie Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1
 -
 -
 2


 Astley Ainslie Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 2
 1
 -


 Ayr Hospital
 -
 2
 -
 3
 1
 3
 3
 -


 Ayrshire Central Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Biggart Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Borders General Hospital
 2
 2
 5
 2
 3
 -
 -
 4


 Brechin Infirmary
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1
 -
 -


 Caithness General Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 2
 2
 1
 4


 Chalmers Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Community Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Cottage Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1


 Crosshouse Hospital
 -
 3
 2
 2
 2
 2
 2
 4


 Doctor Gray’s Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 1
 1
 -
 -
 1


 Drumchapel Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Dumbarton Joint Hospital
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary
 1
 2
 -
 2
 4
 4
 9
 3


 Falkirk & District Royal Infirmary
 1
 -
 -
 3
 3
 2
 -
 -


 Findlay House
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 2


 Fraserburgh Hospital
 -
 1
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Gartnavel General Hospital
 2
 -
 2
 3
 -
 5
 4
 4


 Gilbert Bain Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1


 Glasgow Royal Infirmary
 5
 2
 5
 6
 11
 8
 16
 10


 Glen O’Dee Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Glenrothes Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Hairmyres Hospital
 1
 -
 2
 -
 2
 4
 7
 5


 Haylodge Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Ian Charles Cottage Hospital
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Inverclyde Royal Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 1
 1
 2
 1
 -


 Inverurie Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Irvine Memorial Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 2


 Jubilee Hospital
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Kincardine Community Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 King’s Cross Hospital
 -
 -
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Kirkcudbright Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Kirklandside Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Lady Margaret Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Law Hospital
 -
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Liberton Hospital
 1
 2
 1
 -
 3
 4
 2
 1


 Lightburn Hospital
 -
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 4
 -


 Little Cairnie Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Loanhead Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Lorn & Islands District Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Lynebank Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Mid Argyll Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Monklands General Hospital
 1
 3
 -
 6
 2
 5
 1
 5


 Montfield Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Montrose Royal Infirmary
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 2
 -


 New Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
 -
 -
 -
 -
 10
 8
 13
 18


 Ninewells Hospital
 3
 6
 5
 8
 6
 9
 8
 6


 Perth Royal Infirmary
 2
 1
 3
 1
 1
 2
 4
 3


 Peterhead Community Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1
 2
 -
 -


 Portree Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Queen Margaret Hospital
 4
 1
 8
 2
 9
 10
 7
 9


 Raigmore Hospital
 2
 -
 2
 3
 2
 2
 4
 -


 Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Ravenscraig Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Roodlands General Hospital
 -
 -
 2
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Rosslynlee Hospital
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Roxburghe House
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Royal Alexandra Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 3
 1
 1
 2
 2


 Royal Cornhill Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1


 Royal Hospital for Sick Children
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
 7
 9
 14
 14
 4
 -
 -
 -


 Royal Northern Infirmary
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Royal Victoria Hospital, Edinburgh
 1
 1
 3
 2
 1
 1
 3
 2


 Royal Victoria Hospital, Dundee
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 2
 -
 1


 Sauchie Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Seafield Hospital
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Southern General Hospital
 1
 1
 -
 -
 5
 5
 3
 5


 St Brendan’s Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 St John’s Hospital
 2
 1
 2
 3
 -
 5
 2
 -


 Stirling Royal Infirmary
 -
 -
 3
 1
 -
 1
 3
 1


 Stobhill Hospital
 1
 1
 2
 1
 1
 2
 8
 4


 Stracathro Hospital
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Stratheden Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 The Orchards
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 The Princess Royal Maternity Unit
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Ugie Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Vale of Leven Hospital
 3
 -
 -
 -
 3
 -
 1
 1


 Victoria Hospital
 6
 1
 1
 2
 3
 6
 5
 6


 Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Victoria Infirmary, Helensburgh
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Western Infirmary
 2
 1
 -
 1
 5
 5
 2
 2


 Western Infirmary, Beatson Oncology Centre
 -
 1
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Wester Moffat Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Western General Hospital
 -
 1
 5
 12
 10
 5
 7
 6


 Western Infirmary
 -
 3
 4
 1
 4
 4
 7
 9


 Western Infirmary
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1


 Western Isles Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1
 1
 2
 3


 Whyteman’s Brae Hospital
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Wishaw General Hospital
 -
 -
 1
 3
 1
 3
 4
 3


 Woodend Hospital
 2
 2
 -
 -
 1
 2
 1
 -


 Hospital Total
 63
 61
 92
 99
 117
 132
 153
 149


 Non-hospital
 6
 13
 8
 10
 13
 16
 21
 13


 Total
 69
 74
 100
 109
 130
 148
 174
 162


 Proportion of all deaths
 0.1%
 0.1%
 0.2%
 0.2%
 0.2%
 0.3%
 0.3%
 0.3%

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths have been caused by clostridium difficile in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The data in the following table were provided by the General Register Office of Scotland (GROS). It should be noted that it is unusual for clostridium difficile to be the sole cause of death as a range of contributory factors are normally involved, and it should be noted that changes in the number of cases year on year may be influenced by increased public and professional awareness of clostridium difficile and may not be a reliable indicator of the true incidence.

  Between 1997 and 1999, it was also not possible to state whether clostridium difficile was the underlying cause of the death as death certificates were not recorded in this way. It is therefore only possible to provide the member with data on deaths where clostridium difficile was the underlying cause of death between 2000 and 2006. Figures for 2007 and 2008 are also not yet available from GROS.

  The death certificates that have recorded clostridium difficile as the underlying cause of death between 2000 and 2006 are as follows:

  

 NHS Board of Residence
 Year


 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006


 Scotland
 38
 57
 70
 73
 98
 102
 164


 Ayrshire and Arran
 2
 7
 9
 5
 12
 3
 5


 Borders
 2
 -
 1
 2
 -
 -
 3


 Dumfries and Galloway
 -
 5
 1
 2
 2
 8
 6


 Fife
 1
 4
 3
 4
 14
 13
 11


 Forth Valley
 6
 2
 3
 1
 4
 8
 8


 Grampian
 2
 1
 3
 6
 7
 6
 9


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 9
 15
 21
 18
 26
 22
 41


 Highland
 -
 1
 1
 2
 1
 -
 4


 Lanarkshire
 10
 4
 9
 7
 6
 13
 24


 Lothian
 6
 11
 13
 20
 22
 22
 40


 Orkney
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Shetland
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Tayside
 -
 7
 6
 6
 4
 7
 13


 Western Isles
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which wards have been closed as a result of clostridium difficile, broken down by (a) hospital and (b) month since January 2008.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14490 on 9 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing took after being made aware of cases of clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital on Wednesday 21 May 2008.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the statement I made to the Parliament on 18 June 2008 which details all the steps taken by me, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Scottish Government officials since these cases became known.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has taken to ensure that there is a robust surveillance and monitoring system in place for the reporting of hospital-acquired infections, including clostridium difficile.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14659 on 4 July 2008. I also announced on 18 June 2008 that an independent review would be held into the circumstances surrounding the clostridium difficile cases at the Vale of Leven Hospital. The review team’s report will be published at the end of July 2008.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing took after being made aware of multiple deaths of clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital on Friday 6 June 2008.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the statement I made to the Parliament on 18 June 2008.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will bring forward a real time system of surveillance and monitoring for hospital-acquired infection, including clostridium difficile.

Nicola Sturgeon: Real time local surveillance and monitoring is already in place in NHS boards. As part of the board wide review into numbers of clostridium difficile cases and deaths going back to December 2007 which is currently underway, all NHS boards have been asked to review and validate the performance of local surveillance systems and provide comments. Health Protection Scotland (HPS) and the Scottish Government will consider their responses to that exercise once the results are known at the end of July. Thereafter, HPS will produce draft guidance on local surveillance for healthcare associated infection (HAI) generally for discussion at the next HAI Task Force meeting on 3 September.

  As confirmed to Ross Finnie at the question and answer session following the my statement at the Parliament on 18 June, I will update members about the above exercise should anything arise. I will also be discussing the adequacy of local systems and the type of monitoring that is being applied across each board area when I next meet with chief executives and we have asked HPS to ensure that all diagnostic labs are linked to the Electronic Communication of Surveillance in Scotland (ECOSS) system later this year to pave the way for a web-based local surveillance reporting system.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many babies have been tested for (a) MRSA and (b) clostridium difficile and, of these, how many have tested positive.

Nicola Sturgeon: It is for each NHS board to decide on the clinical circumstances under which it will test babies for MRSA and clostridium difficile and data are not collected centrally. However, all NHS boards are required to provide Health Protection Scotland with monthly positive tests on Staph. aureus bacteraemia and clostridium difficile associated disease (CDAD) in patients aged 65 and over and these are collated and published in quarterly reports showing rates at NHS board level. The latest quarterly reports, which were published on Wednesday, 2 July 2008, can be found at: http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk .

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive who is ultimately responsible (a) at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley and (b) in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for the second outbreak of MRSA in under three years.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14657 on 4 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how often an assessment will be made available during the year-long pilot scheme to screen patients for MRSA in Ayrshire, Grampian and the Western Isles.

Nicola Sturgeon: Health Protection Scotland (HPS) established a project steering board consisting of the three pilot boards and key stakeholders. The steering board regularly meets to discuss progress with the pilot programme in the three pilot areas and will do so until the pilot programme is completed. HPS will provide a report of its interim findings to the Scottish Government by 31 March 2009 which will enable us to begin rolling out a well planned, properly costed and structured national MRSA screening programme across NHS Scotland.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people died after contracting clostridium difficile in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14693 on 21 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Housing

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the grant allocation has been for the Affordable Housing Investment Programme at the beginning of each financial year since 2003-04 to (a) Highland Council, (b) Orkney Islands Council, (c) Shetland Islands Council, (d) Western Isles Council, (e) Moray Council and (f) Argyll and Bute Council, expressed also in real terms.

Stewart Maxwell: The grant allocation from the Affordable Housing Investment Programme for the areas requested is set out in the answer to question S3W-14092 on 24 June 2008. This question asked about constant terms, this is the same as real terms. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Inter-Governmental Links

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14505 by Linda Fabiani on 2 July 2008, whether, in light of the arrangements referred to, the Scottish Government will cease public commentary on issues which will, or could be, referred to the Joint Ministerial Committee for discussion and resolution.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government will continue to treat all discussions regarding the Joint Ministerial Committee in accordance with the principles outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding.

Justice

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fiscal fines were issued in each of the last four years, broken down by sheriffdom.

Right Hon Elish Angiolini QC: The following table shows the number of accused persons issued with a conditional offer of a fiscal fine.

  Fiscal Fines Issued

  

 PF Area
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 Total


 Argyll and Clyde
 2,658
 3,417
 5,296
 6,002
 17,373


 Ayrshire 
 2,719
 4,123
 6,861
 5,962
 19,665


 Central 
 1,921
 1,961
 2,381
 2,108
 8,371


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1,104
 852
 700
 762
 3,418


 Fife 
 1,244
 1,095
 1,664
 1,740
 5,743


 Glasgow 
 14,157
 15,080
 17,844
 15,957
 63,038


 Grampian 
 1,698
 1,721
 2,119
 1,805
 7,343


 Highland and Islands
 2,033
 1,988
 2,392
 2,060
 8,473


 Lanarkshire 
 8,442
 10,143
 11,500
 8,230
 38,315


 Lothian and Borders 
 3,196
 3,964
 4,162
 5,048
 16,370


 Tayside 
 2,156
 1,736
 2,292
 1,828
 8,012


 COPFS
 41,328
 46,080
 57,211
 51,502
 196,121



  The figures for 2007-08 exclude 65 fiscal fines that were offered in March 2008 as part of one of the new combined offers of a fiscal fine and compensation offer introduced under the provisions of the Criminal Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007.

Justice

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fixed penalties were issued in each of the last four years, broken down by sheriffdom.

Right Hon Elish Angiolini QC: The following table shows the number of accused persons who were issued with one or more conditional offers of a fixed penalty by Procurators Fiscal in respect of a road traffic offence.

  Conditional Offers of Fixed Penalty

  

 PF Area
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 Total


 Argyll and Clyde
 481
 895
 2,055
 2,491
 5,922


 Ayrshire 
 222
 545
 1,331
 1,807
 3,905


 Central 
 908
 1,526
 2,253
 2,645
 7,332


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1,225
 1,000
 1,467
 1,717
 5,409


 Fife 
 956
 1,454
 2,033
 2,688
 7,131


 Glasgow 
 4,366
 6,068
 6,892
 7,993
 25,319


 Grampian 
 2,147
 1,965
 2,225
 3,269
 9,606


 Highland and Islands
 786
 1,262
 1,391
 1,572
 5,011


 Lanarkshire 
 2,720
 3,204
 3,892
 4,199
 14,015


 Lothian and Borders 
 3,031
 3,800
 4,542
 5,057
 16,430


 Tayside 
 1,789
 2,484
 3,665
 3,472
 11,410


 COPFS
 18,631
 24,203
 31,746
 36,910
 111,490

Justice

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many court cases over the last four years were cited on summary, having previously been taken on indictment, broken down by sheriffdom.

Right Hon Elish Angiolini QC: The following table shows the number of cases in which one or more accused persons had appeared initially on petition but, following further consideration of all the circumstances by the Procurator Fiscal or Crown Counsel, subsequent proceedings against all accused persons in the case were taken in a summary court.

  

 PF Area
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 Total


 Argyll and Clyde
 152
 120
 166
 154
 592


 Ayrshire 
 110
 133
 132
 184
 559


 Central 
 107
 68
 98
 127
 400


 Dumfries and Galloway
 43
 57
 51
 51
 202


 Fife 
 110
 99
 164
 171
 544


 Glasgow 
 394
 224
 289
 370
 1,277


 Grampian 
 98
 95
 129
 191
 513


 Highland and Islands
 48
 59
 74
 84
 265


 Lanarkshire 
 150
 143
 126
 160
 579


 Lothian and Borders 
 233
 266
 298
 283
 1,080


 Tayside 
 140
 90
 151
 118
 499


 COPFS
 1,585
 1,354
 1,678
 1,893
 6,510



  The figures for 2007-08 will include some cases which were affected by the change in sentencing powers in December 2007, which increased the maximum sentence in summary sheriff court cases generally from three months to 12 months.

Justice

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases over the last four years that would previously have gone to sheriff summary courts were sent to JP courts, broken down by sheriffdom.

Right Hon Elish Angiolini QC: It is for the Procurator Fiscal to decide in the public interest, on the basis of a careful consideration of all the factors relevant to a particular case, whether criminal proceedings are appropriate and the level of court in which the prosecution will take place.

  Summary Justice Reform was implemented with effect from December 2007 and includes, as set out by the Scottish Government in The Summary Justice System Model in 2007, changes to ensure that more serious cases are prosecuted in the new Justice of the Peace Courts which have been established by the Criminal Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007.

  Detailed figures on the impact of Summary Justice Reform are not yet available although early indications are that the proportion of prosecutions in the Justice of the Peace and district courts has risen from 24% in February 2008 to 26% in March 2008.

Justice

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) under 18 and (b) 18 or over have been convicted of carrying knives or possessing an offensive weapon in each local authority area in the Lothians region in each of the last five years.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following tables.

  Persons Aged Under 18 with a Charge Proved in Courts in the Lothian Region for Carrying Knives or Offensive Weapons1, by Approximate Local Authority Area2, 2002-03 to 2006-07

  

 Approximate Local Authority Area/Offence
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 East Lothian 
 
 
 
 
 


 Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
 1
 1
 1
 2
 2


 Possession of an offensive weapon 
 -
 -
 -
 1
 3


 Edinburgh, City of 
 
 
 
 
 


 Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
 12
 10
 11
 14
 12


 Possession of an offensive weapon 
 19
 12
 16
 14
 18


 Midlothian
 
 
 
 
 


 Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Possession of an offensive weapon 
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 West Lothian 
 
 
 
 
 


 Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
 3
 3
 -
 3
 4


 Possession of an offensive weapon 
 5
 6
 4
 3
 4



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Incorporates an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area. Midlothian does not contain a sheriff court.

  Persons Aged 18 and Over with a Charge Proved in Courts in the Lothian Region for Carrying Knives or Offensive Weapons1, by Approximate Local Authority Area2, 2002-03 to 2006-07

  

 Approximate Local Authority Area/Offence
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 East Lothian 
 
 
 
 
 


 Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
 16
 8
 9
 4
 13


 Possession of an offensive weapon 
 8
 7
 5
 5
 6


 Edinburgh, City of 
 
 
 
 
 


 Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
 98
 121
 129
 119
 165


 Possession of an offensive weapon 
 66
 67
 84
 85
 82


 Midlothian
 
 
 
 
 


 Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Possession of an offensive weapon 
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 West Lothian 
 
 
 
 
 


 Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
 24
 9
 22
 10
 32


 Possession of an offensive weapon 
 33
 17
 14
 13
 29



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Incorporates an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area. Midlothian does not contain a sheriff court.

Languages

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive why it has not renewed funding to enable the provision of Panjabi qualifications in Scotland.

Adam Ingram: It is the responsibility of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to develop, set and assess qualifications in Scotland. SQA currently offers unit qualifications in Panjabi. Although there has been no uptake for these over the last few years, SQA will continue to make this provision available. SQA have also undertaken an environmental scanning and scoping exercise to investigate the demand for further development of qualifications in Panjabi. On the basis of the results of this work, SQA do not intend to develop additional qualifications in Panjabi at present.

Languages

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it made any assessment of the success of the Centres of Excellence programme in funding the provision of qualifications in the Panjabi language before deciding not to renew that funding.

Adam Ingram: A review of the national Centres of Excellence programme was undertaken by the previous Scottish Executive in 2005. The review concluded three of the centres were not in fact acting as national centres. Their funding was therefore phased out, although it is open to the local authorities in question to continue to fund those elements of the centres work which are a local priority.

Languages

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the impact of its decision not to fund Panjabi qualifications in Scotland.

Adam Ingram: It is the responsibility of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to develop, set and assess qualifications in Scotland. SQA currently offers unit qualifications in Panjabi. Although there has been no uptake for these over the last few years, SQA will continue to make this provision available. They have also undertaken an environmental scanning and scoping exercise to investigate the demand for further development of qualifications in Panjabi. On the basis of the results of this work, SQA do not intend to develop additional qualifications in Panjabi at present.

Police

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many community police officers there are.

Kenny MacAskill: The information is not held centrally. The allocation of specific roles, duties and designations to individual officers is a matter for chief constables.

Police

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it anticipates a reduction in the number of community police officers between 2008 and 2011.

Kenny MacAskill: Our investment of £94 million during the lifetime of the Parliament will deliver a more visible policing presence on Scotland’s streets and make an additional 1,000 officers available in our communities.

Procurement

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when its new catering contract, as described by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment on 19 June 2008, will be introduced.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s new catering contract will commence on 1 March 2009.

Procurement

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the details of its new catering contract, as described by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment on 19 June 2008, will be made public.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s contract will be awarded under a catering services framework agreement. The Scottish Government intends to publish an advert within the next two months, which seeks expressions of interest from companies wishing to tender to be included on the framework.

  Details of the new framework agreement and Scottish Government contract cannot be made public until after the contract has been formally awarded. This is expected to take place in December 2008 at the earliest.

Procurement

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its new catering contract, as described by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment on 19 June 2008, will be rolled out across the public sector and, if so, within what timescale

John Swinney: The catering framework will be available for use by the Scottish Government, its associated departments, agencies and NDPBs. The core Scottish Government catering contract will commence on the 1 March 2009 with other organisations joining the framework at various stages thereafter.

Public Services

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that private sector involvement in the design, management and delivery of public capital works offers any advantages.

John Swinney: The delivery of new and replacement infrastructure is a key aspect of economic growth in Scotland and the private sector has always contributed to this. We recognise the benefit of partnership working between the public and private sectors, the value of private sector know-how, their delivery expertise and due diligence. The private sector has always had a strong part to play in the provision of public service assets and facilities in Scotland and will continue to do so.

Scottish Government Websites

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to archive all Scottish Government websites via the National Library of Scotland’s Trusted Digital Repository Programme.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has granted the National Library of Scotland a copyright licence to archive the main corporate website – www.scotland.gov.uk – and this process is now going ahead.